Figure 7: Gilt grey schist Bodhisattva from the ancient region of Gandhara circa 2nd - 3rd Century, H 15.5 cm. Cyber Archive by
photogrammetry.
Figure 8: Expressions, gestures and full view of the niche No. 125 “Charming Avalokteśvara” deity. 92 cm in height. Point
cloud visualization. “This Avalokiteśvara is counting the beads with the right hand
that is gently held by the left hand at the wrist. The belts of her dress are waving in the wind just as those beautifully painted by
the famous painter Wu Daozi. Like a graceful and shy maiden, she turns her head a little to the left, and watches down with a
smile.”[ ]Regarding the origin of Charming Avalokiteśvara, the
3
author believes it is Sri-Mahadevi compared to the iconography portrayed in Hinduism of India and Esoteric Buddhism in
Japan. Even though in the official publication from Dazu Rock Carvings, the deity is categorized as the Avalokiteśvara. The
shy, innocent expression and gesture of Charming Avalokiteśvara, different from the gentle, merciful looks of the
other Count Beads
Avalokiteśvara deities at
Dazu Rock Carvings, convey the young and refreshing energy to the
viewers and further enhances the belief in looking for prosperity, auspiciousness, and mindfulness.
Figure 9: Niche No.253 “Bodhisattva and Ksitigarbha” deities. Point cloud visualization.
3. Digital humanity in cultural heritage conservation
Softwares nowadays provide easy access to digitally sculpting or documenting the physical objects. Digital sculpting depends
on the artists sense, techniques, and experiences towards the anatomic precision, form, balance, and motion. Sculptors
movements further extend to performance, then transforms into motion sculptures...etc., like never-ending echoes. Compared to
digital sculpting, digital documentation rationally and precisely conserves the digital data, analyze the complex forms or
damaged parts, and rebuild the real subjects in the virtual world, such as photogrammetry or laser scanning.
These documentation methods are widely adopted and with easier
solutions simply by mobile phone cameras and software. Back in the days when the Virtual World Heritage Laboratory
led the Digital Sculpture Project 2009-2013, it focused on the complexity of famous sculptures and utilizes 3d laser scanning
to restore the point cloud data from the sculptures. The project ’
s attention to the neglected area of the digital humanities”
and cultural significance, shows the uniqueness of the Digital
Sculpture Project. The selected sculptures, ranging from Alexander to Laocoön, inherit the richness of form and context.
Digital documentation of sculptures, through the earlier efforts, integrates into heritage preservation and consistently applies to
heritage information projects.
Technically speaking, BAE project integrates the computer graphics and interactive info-motion design, virtual reality and
CAVE as the forms to explore the meaning and metamorphosis of the Sutra. Selected niches and caves at Dazu Rock Carvings
e.g., Bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha, Peacock Radiant Wisdom King are documented by hybrid scanning photogrammetrylaser
scanningUAV data. Raw data is analyzed and re-established digitally by reality capture software. Point cloud data
.asc.xyz.ply as the initial results can be further interpreted by modeling, texturing and rendering. Compared with the existing
projects of cave art and cultural heritage, BAE project utilizes hybrid techniques in the cyber-archiving process for balancing
the accuracy and visibility.
P.51, Dazu Rock Carvings.
3
This contribution has been peer-reviewed. doi:10.5194isprs-archives-XLII-2-W5-121-2017 | © Authors 2017. CC BY 4.0 License.
123
Digital humanity is the first priority in BAE project facilitated by the dialogues between the contexts and science. BAE project
selects digital heritage as the form to study Dazu Rock Carvings to
explore the tangible and intangible values of digital humanity. The intangible aspect of the project will be
investigated, including the cultural meaning, interconnections between deities depicted, analysis of the iconography,
accentuation of the dynamism of time and change, and narration in the new digital space afforded now.
Buddhism and its path from India, Dun Huang to Japan symbolize the dissemination of intercultural activities along the
Silk Road. Dazu District and Sichuan, on the other hand, connects with Dun Huang and Japan by the cave art, religion,
and culture. The existence of Dazu Rock Carvings and its preservation symbolizes the echoes of both the digital and social
humanities.
4. P
